Info Wanted: Metal paint samples from manufacturer 1991 & 1992 Has anyone seen this before?

[SonOfViper]

Hello Viper Club,

I would like to start off that I am looking for information regarding these items, I am not looking to sell them, please do not flag this for being posted in the wrong forum.

I am looking for some information regarding some paint samples. I have 34 pieces of original paint samples that were created by AKZO coatings inc for the Dodge Viper. See the list below

(13) Dandelion Yellow August 21 1991

(1) Viper Red Clear Coat June 15 1991

(18) Viper Black Clear Coat June 15 1991

(2) Emerald Green May 15 1992

Who would be sent these paint plaques? Is this something a Dodge dealership would have? Or are these something that would only be used at Conner Avenue Assembly when a worker is completing the inspection phases on the viper before it’s released to the dealership for it to be sold? I know the viper was inspected numerous times and meticulously before it was given the approval to leave the plant.

Have you ever seen any Viper paint plaques for sale or sold?

 

[jcsodano]

Paint master plaques for distribution to suppliers etc for paint matching. It is common to produce these as necessary to verify paint color and gloss consistency. Since painted parts may come from different suppliers, it ensures the assembled vehicle will exhibit harmony from part to part.

 

[Goggles Pizano]

So what info you want? You never asked?

 

[SonOfViper]

What are these.

Has anyone seen these before? I have posted these to other Viper sites and did not receive a response.

Final question(s).
How common are these?
What would these be worth?

 

[jcsodano]

Master plaques are meticulously produced in large batches, sometimes several hundred at a time, so as to maintain consistency of color and gloss. The plaques are sprayed by the paint supplier or a third party, from which the supply chain for the vehicle can obtain the master samples.
The industry uses calibrated optical reading devices that measure color and gloss and assigns numerical values. These are recorded and noted against the standard with an allowable variance. If the plaques produced are within the acceptable range, they can be distributed and used to match parts against.

The master plaques should be stored in a light tight, environmentally controlled enclosure to prevent fading and degradation over a period of time. Some colors, yellow for example, are very vulnerable to deterioration. Unless these were stored as described over 30 years, they may not be accurate.

The back panel shows the vehicle line, name of color, color code and date of manufacture (to identify the batch) and source.

 

[SonOfViper]

jcsodano: Thank you very much for your informative response. I am debating about keeping these, I have a few sneaky Pete emblems and was thinking of putting the paint samples and hood emblems in a shadow box display case, but it sounds like these samples would start to lose color and fade.

These have all been stored wrapped up and in a climate controlled area for the past 30+ years.

 

[jcsodano]

Get UV glass for your case. You have enough to spare a few.

 

[jcsodano]

Little bit of Viper history: I drew the original Sneaky Pete (don’t know who coined the name) logo in pen & ink one afternoon when I heard Lutz and company debating the name of the car. For me it always made sense to have some reference to the Cobra. Especially with Shelby involved. I took the pen drawing and copied it in scale to find the right size, then cut it out on a piece of fluorescent orange vinyl and put it on the fiberglass model we had in the studio at the time. That model went back to CTC Studio where someone in the ornamentation group detailed out the badge in chrome and red snakeskin. Still have one of the original black and white drawings …..

 

[SonOfViper]

Alright that is just cool as shit. Thank you for the UV glass recommendation. You are correct, I do have a few to spare.
Problem is, I haven’t seen any other ones like this, what price do you put on it?

Honest question here since I am brand new. Does this website allow me to post items for sale without a pre-determined price and just say “email me” or “best offer”?

The short time I have been on this site, it has been extremely informative and I do not want to upset the community and be banned.

 

[MoparMap]

Sure, feel free to list it. We used to have a classified section, but so much of that has moved to Facebook that we just sort of went that way. People still throw stuff up on the forums from time to time though, so I don't see a problem with it. As long as people aren't spamming listing and trying to sell unrelated stuff I think it's fine.

 

[Steve M]

Hello Viper Club,

I would like to start off that I am looking for information regarding these items, I am not looking to sell them, please do not flag this for being posted in the wrong forum.

Final question(s).
How common are these?
What would these be worth?

Problem is, I haven’t seen any other ones like this, what price do you put on it?

Honest question here since I am brand new. Does this website allow me to post items for sale without a pre-determined price and just say “email me” or “best offer”?

You state that you are not looking to sell them, but the rest of your posts (and your join date) suggests otherwise.

Just be aware that it may raise flags for some - it certainly does for me, but others probably don't care.

The materials themselves aren't valuable, but the story may very well be to someone that has a Viper of that era and in those colors. How you market them will likely make the biggest difference in how much you can get for them. That is, assuming you are selling them.

 

[SonOfViper]

MoparMap,

I appreciate your response, I will post my items in the classified section this weekend and go from there.

 

[SonOfViper]

Steve,
I appreciate your feedback, I do apologize if any of my posts raise “red flags”. I did post these paint samples on here looking for any additional feedback and I did post “not looking to sell”. Simply because when I have posted these color samples on different “Viper Forums and websites” I have yet to receive any useful information about them, instead I have received a few offers to purchase some of these paint samples, everything fro $25 each to $150 each. It honestly felt like sharks circling blood in the water.
I am open to selling some of my items but I am not looking to be taken advantage of.
Also since I do not own a Viper, there wouldn’t be any need for me to be a part of this group until now.

If anyone has any concerns about “red flags” that I may have raised feel free to contact me with any concerns or suspicions you may have on any of the items I am considering selling and I can provide any proof you need that these items are in my possession and available for purchase.

 

[JonB]

SON OF VIPER

Good Luck with your researching. Neat find.

Im merely posting to give you a good reference from an old-timer.

You certainly come from good Viper Stock! If this were Yelp Id say 5-stars.

 

[JonB]

GREAT POST. I love learning pre-Viper hisssstory. Thanks for sharing

Master plaques are meticulously produced in large batches, sometimes several hundred at a time, so as to maintain consistency of color and gloss. The plaques are sprayed by the paint supplier or a third party, from which the supply chain for the vehicle can obtain the master samples.
The industry uses calibrated optical reading devices that measure color and gloss and assigns numerical values. These are recorded and noted against the standard with an allowable variance. If the plaques produced are within the acceptable range, they can be distributed and used to match parts against.

The master plaques should be stored in a light tight, environmentally controlled enclosure to prevent fading and degradation over a period of time. Some colors, yellow for example, are very vulnerable to deterioration. Unless these were stored as described over 30 years, they may not be accurate.

The back panel shows the vehicle line, name of color, color code and date of manufacture (to identify the batch) and source.